“My plane left without me…and I’m the pilot!”
Robotech #6
FINAL ISSUE
WildStorm Productions (July, 2003)
“Commitment”
STORY: Tommy Yune
SCRIPT: Jay Faerber
ARTISTS: Long Vo, Charles Park, & Saka of Udon
LETTERER: Jenna Garcia
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Kristy Quinn
EDITOR: Ben Abernathy
Roy takes on Armor-1 in the Veritech prototype. After dodging missiles, he manages to blast the control room window but not before they launch a reflex missile on Macross Island. Roy chases the missile down and barely manages to shoot it down. Roy and Claudia reconcile, the government decides to use the Anti-Unification League as their scapegoat to continue to secretly prepare for the Zentraedi, and the other two plants, Edwards and Leonard, opt to work from within to achieve their ultimate goals.
What they got right: This is an action-packed finale. Roy really gets to show off and I’m happy he and Claudia worked things out, jealous as we’ll see her in the show (though not as bad as in the various prequel comics). We also get a flash forward to the end of the First Robotech War as Rick proposes to Lisa and takes one last flight in Skull-1, the former prototype that used to be Roy’s when he was in command of Skull Squadron before his death and Rick was put in charge.
What they got wrong: And here I was earlier congratulating the comic for NOT making Leonard the villain for once. He’s not a villain, he’s just a jackass in the Second Robotech War yet somehow he keeps getting turned into the villain. Also, this doesn’t feel like the Edwards from even the part of Robotech II: The Sentinels that actually got made and is canon. Edwards has a personal gripe with Roy that he transitions to Rick as his “little brother” and replacement on Skull Squadron. However, I don’t see the same reason for that in this story. He’s way to accepting here to make this the motivation for his hatred of Roy and later Rick.
What I think overall: Personally I would have rather seen the Eternity/Academy continuity continued but this is still a good take on the early days of Robotechnology. That makes it worth checking out at least. Plus it’s Udon Studios on art so it’s also visually beautiful.
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